Lifting device for a supporting framework



April 15, 1969 P. E. GOSTLING LIFTING DEVICE FOR A SUPPORTING FRAMEWORK Sheet Filed Aug. 26, 1966 m. .-x .3... H 4 4. q .b "4 v.

Sheet 2 P. E. GOSTLlNG LIFTING DEVICE FOR A SUPPORTING FRAMEWORK A ril 15, 1969 Filed Aug. 26, 1966 April 15, 1969 P. E. GOSTLING LIFTING DEVICE FOR A SUPPORTING FRAMEWORK Filed Aug. 26, 1966 Sheet J J /o w S .7 W QQQQXAQAAA g W 3 3 a Z E. 3 3. Ov on S R mm 3 mm NM M 9m April 15, 1969 Filed Aug. 26, 1966 P. E. GOSTLING 3,438,160

LIFTING DEVICE FOR A SUPPORTING FRAMEWORK April 15, 1969 P. E. GOSTLING 3,438,160

LIFTING DEVICE FOR A SUPPORTING FRAMEWORK Filed Aug. 26, 1966 Sheet 5' of 6 Fig.6.

A ril 15, 1969 P. E. GOSTLING LIFTING DEVICE FOR A SUPPORTING FRAMEWORK Sheet Filed Aug. 26, 1966 Fig.9

United States Patent 3,438,160 LIFTlNG DEVICE FOR A SUPPORTING FRAMEWORK Peter Eric Gostling, Coleshill, England, assignor to Kwikform Limited, Birmingham, Warwick, England, a British company Filed Aug. 26, 1966, Ser. No. 578,116 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Sept. 3, 1965, 37,719/65; July 16, 1966, 31,790/66; Feb. 9, 1966, 5,572/ 66 Int. Cl. E04g 21/00; E04h 12/18 US. Cl. 52-122 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to builders shuttering for use in forming floors and ceilings in concrete and like material, which shuttering is of the kind comprising a shuttering element for engaging with the concrete or like settable material, a supporting framework therefor, and provided with some form of supporting base adapted to engage With the upper surface of an already formed floor to support the framework thereon, means for adjusting the height of the shuttering element in relation to said base, the arrangement being such that in the construction of a multistorey building, the shuttering can be used to form each floor in turn, by the successive operation of supporting the shuttering on an already formed floor, pouring the concrete on the upper surface of the shuttering element, allowing the concrete to set, lowering the shuttering element in relation to the lower ends of the framework clear of the floor just formed, removing the shuttering from the underside of such floor, raising it by a storey height and supporting it from below from the upper face of the just formed floor, so as to be in a position for forming the next successive floor of the building.

For instance the said base may be constituted by a plurality of struts consisting of two members telescopically adjustable one within the other, the upper member being connected to or forming a part of the supporting framework, and the lower member of each strut being provided at its lower end with a base plate for engaging with the already formed floor, the arrangement being such that by adjusting the overall length of each strut, the height of the shuttering element in relation to the base, as constituted by the base plates, may be varied.

For raising the shuttering :by each storey level and for lowering it at the completion of the building operation,

3,438,160 Patented Apr. 15, 1969 ICC it is at present known to provide a lifting element of substantially U-shape having its two arms disposed horizontally and connected together in vertically spaced relationship by a dependent load-transmitting portion forming the web of U-shaped element, with the lower arm constituting a shuttering supporting arm adapted for lifting engagement with the underface of the shuttering ele-. ment, and the upper arm constituting a lifting arm adapted to be connected at one position only, namely, at the free end of the lifting arm, to the lifting hook of a tower'or other crane.

Such an arrangement requires that the lower arm of the lifting element should be of a very substantial length to avoid subjecting the shuttering element to undue bending moment, and the lifting element is accordingly very cumbrous and difiicult to manoeuvre into and out of engagement with the shuttering element.

A further and more serious disadvantage of such known arrangement arises from the fact that when the lifting element is engaged with the shuttering and raised or lowered by the crane, the combined centre of gravity of the shuttering and lifting element desirably should be vertically aligned with the crane hook, if undesirable tilting and instability of the whole assembly during the manoeuvring and raising or lowering of the shuttering is to be avoided in a simple manner.

The position of this combined centre of gravity will usually be different from that of the centre of gravity of the lifting element alone, by reason of the mass of the lifting element being principally in the region of the connected-together ends of the two arms, and by reason of variation in the overall length of the shuttering in the direction of the shuttering supporting arm. Accordingly, in such previously known arrangement it is necessary to provide special means for maintaining the shuttering supporting arm horizontal when the lifting element is disengaged from the shuttering, to enable such arm of the lifting element to be engaged with or disengaged from the shuttering during the manoeuvring of the lifting element alone; while such special means must also be provided to take care of different locations of the combined centre of gravity relative to the single point of connection to the crane hook, which different locations may arise from variation in the said length of the shuttering.

The present invention has for its object the provision of an improved and simpler arrangement for raising and lowering the shuttering, e.g., raising from one floor level to the next.

According to the present invention, there is provided means for supporting shuttering of the kind specified, said means comprising a lifting element of the type comprising an upper lifting arm having means for detachable engagement with the crane hook of a tower or other crane, said arm being provided at one end with a load-transmitting portion through which with the lifting arm substantially horizontal and above the level of the shuttering element the load is transmitted to the supporting framework of the shuttering, said lifting element being characterised in that the crane hook engaging means comprises a member adjustable along the length of the lifting arm, with means for securing said member in a selected one of a number of different positions along the length of the lifting arm, such that with the latter horizontal the combined centre of gravity of the lifting element and horizontally disposed shuttering supported therefrom is substantially vertically aligned with said selected position, and that the load transmitting portion of the lifting element is provided with means for connecting it detachably to a part of the shuttering framework adjacent one end thereof in such a manner that during connection or disconnection of said load-transmitting portion in relation to the shuttering supporting framework, and with the crane hook engaging member in said selected one position, the lifting element is free to tilt relative to the crane hook and shuttering supporting framework, between said position in which the lifting arm is horizontal and a position in which the centre of gravity of the lifting element alone is vertically aligned with the crane hook.

A lifting element in accordance with the present invention possesses the following important advantages over the prior art lifting element above mentioned:

(a) By providing the lifting arm with a crane hook engaging member adjustable along the length of the arm into any one of a number of different positions, the operator can preselect such position in accordance with the known centre of gravity position of the shuttering to be supported so as to ensure without further adjustment that when the lifting element is in supporting engagement with the shuttering supporting framework, the shuttering element and the lifting arm are each disposed in a substantially horizontal position when raised or lowered by the crane, as is necessary for the manoeuvring of the shuttering into and out of position in relation to the building, without it being necessary to provide any special means to maintain such horizontal position as in the prior art arrangement. Further once the crane hook-engaging member has been adjusted into such preselected position it can be retained therein for successive operations on similar size shuttering.

(b) The freedom of the lifting element to tilt during its connection to or disconnection from the shuttering, enables the lifting element when disconnected from the shuttering to be supported from the crane hook at the same position along the length of the lifting arm as during the supporting of the shuttering from the lifting element, without it being necessary to provide special means to maintain the lifting arm horizontal prior to connection with the shuttering, and in so far as means are provided for securing the crane hook engaging member in the selected position this is not altered by any tendency for the lifting element to slide relative to the crane hook engaging member along the length of the lifting arm consequent on the latters tilted disposition.

(c) The connection of the said portion of the lifting arm to the shuttering eliminates the necessity to provide the lifting element with a lower .shuttering supporting arm, thus simplifying the construction of the lifting element, reducing its mass and making it more easily manoeuvrable.

The means for retaining the crane hook engaging memher in its adjusted position preferably comprise the provision on the underside of a part of the lifting arm of a series of recesses spaced along the length of the arm with which a securing pin or other abutment part on the crane hook engaging member is selectively engageable, with locking means being provided for releasably retaining the abutment part against downward disengaging movement relative to the selected recess.

Preferably, the aforementioned tilting movement of the lifting element relative to the shuttering is obtained by providing the lifting element with fulcrum means adapted releasably to fulcrum on a part of the shuttering supporting framework, such as an element connected to said framework.

Preferably the connection between the load transmitting portion of the lifting element and the shuttering is provided by some form of connecting element, and by forming said portion as a dependent load-transmitting limb.

In one arrangement the connecting element may be formed integrally with the dependent load-transmitting limb of the lifting element, so as to form a dependent extension thereof, with the connecting element being adapted for detachable connection to one end of the shuttering element supporting framework.

In a further arrangement the connecting element may form an integral part of the shuttering element supporting framework, and project beyond one end thereof clear of the floor or ceiling to be formed, the connecting element at its upper side being adapted to be connected detachably to the load-transmitting limb of the lifting element.

In a third and preferred arrangement, the connecting element is so arranged as to be connected detachably at one side thereof, namely, a substantially vertical side, to part of the said shuttering supporting framework at a position adjacent one end thereof, with the connecting element being adapted at its upper side to be connected detachably to the dependent limb of the lifting element.

In either of these two last mentioned arrangements, the lifting element may fulcrum on the connecting element as above described.

Whatever arrangement is adapted, it will be understood that with the present invention the lower arm of the lifting element in the prior arrangement above mentioned 1s omitted entirely, being replaced by the supporting framework for the shuttering element to which the lifting element of the present invention is connected detachably.

One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one form of builders shuttering of the kind specified, and connected to a lifting element in accordance with this invention, the parts being shown in the transporting position.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the arrangement shown in FIGURE 1, but showing the builders shuttering fully in situ. 1

FIGURE 3 is an end elevation of the lifting element in its transporting position, looking in the direction of the arrow 3 in FIGURE 2, and drawn to a scale larger than that of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation to an enlarged scale of part of the lifting element as depicted in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a side elevation of part of the construction depicted in FIGURE 2 but with the lifting element disengaged from the shuttering.

FIGURES 6 and 7 are detailed to an enlarged scale of part of the lifting element of the same construction.

FIGURE 8 is a side elevation of the crane hook engaging member showing its mode of adjustable connection to the lifting arm, the parts being depicted in the engaged position.

FIGURE 9 is an end elevation of the arrangement depicted in FIGURE 8 but showing the parts in the disengaged position.

Referring to the drawings, the builders shuttering there depicted comprises a shuttering element 10 consisting of a horizontally extending panel 11 provided at its underside with cross-bars 12 carried on a pair of spaced parallel main bearers 13 which form part of the shuttering element.

The framework 14 for supporting the shuttering element 10 comprises two rows of vertically disposed tubular scaffold members 15, each row being adapted to support one of the two main bearers 13 with the several scaffold members in each row being provided at their upper and lower ends with lug plates 16, 17, by which the adjacent scaffold members in each row are connected together both by diagonally extending bracing tubes 18 and also, at their lower ends, by horizontally extending bracing tubes 19.

Each of the scaffold members 15 in one row is directly opposite to a scaffold member 15 in the other row, and the two opposite scaffold members in each case are similarly connected by diagonal bracing tubes 18a and horizontal tubes 19a.

Each tubular scaffold member 15 forms the upper outer member of a telescopically adjustable prop 20, the lower and inner member 21 of which carries a base plate 22 for supporting the framework 14 on the upper side of the ground or of a floor P which has just been formed by the shuttering element 10. Such prop 20 embodies the invention the subject of my copending application Ser. No. 575,321, now Patent No. 3,366,361.

The provision of such adjustability in respect of each member 15 enables the underside of the framework 14 to be adjusted vertically relative to the shuttering element 10, so as to take care of any slight irregularities in the ground or floor surface, and also by collectively lowering the outer members 15 of the props relative to the inner members 21 enables the shuttering element 10 to be lowered clear of the just formed floor or ceiling thereabove when the same has set.

The upper end of each tubular scaffold member 15 carries a U-shaped bracket 23 for engaging and supporting the corresponding main bearer 13 of the shuttering element.

The shuttering lifting element 24 of this invention is made to substantially the same width as the distance between the two rows of scaffold members 15, and embodies an upper lifting arm 25 which in its operative position extends horizontally. This arm 25 as shown in FIGURES 1 and 3, is of generally triangular form in cross section, and is built up from an upper horizontal member 26 and two transversely spaced lower members 27, which converge relatively towards the free end 28 of the arm 25. These members 26 and 27 are connected together by bracing 29. The upper member 26 of limb 25 at a position intermediate its two ends is adapted as later described to be connected to the lifting hook 30 or the equivalent of the tower or other crane 31 provided for lifting the shuttering, after each floor of the building has been formed.

The upper horizontal arm 25 of the lifting element 24 at the end thereof opposite to the free end 28 has secured thereto a connecting portion 32 built up from two pairs of dependent mutually diverging lengths of metal tube 33, connected together by cross bracing, and provided at their lower ends with attachment plates 34, to which is secured attachment plates 35 provided on the upper end of dependent load-transmitting limb 36 of the lifting element 24.

This limb 36 of the lifting element comprises two pairs of dependent relatively longer tension members 37, and two pairs of relatively shorter compression members 38.

The attachment plates 35 are secured each to one pair of relatively diverging members 37, 38, and are bolted to attachment plates 34 on the lower ends of the aforementioned tubes 33.

The four tension members 37 are respectively connected by a horizontal cross member 39, and the four compression members 38 are respectively connected by a horizontal cross member 40. The cross member 39 at each end thereof adjacent to where it is connected to one of the members 37, carries a pair of chain link attachment plates 41 secured to the upper end of a dependent connecting chain 42 carrying a hook 43 at its lower end, which chain and hook form part of the said dependent limb 36 of the lifting element.

The cross member adjacent to its point of connection to each of the four compression members 38 carries a pair of dependent thrust plates 44, each thrust plate being recessed at 45 along its lower edge, see FIG. 6, so as to be adapted to have fulcrumming thrust engagement in the manner later described, with a portion of a connecting element 46 through which the lifting load is transmitted to the framework 14.

For a purpose later herein described, the cross member 40 of the upper section 36a of the limb 36 carries at positions intermediate the centre of the member 40 and the thrust plates 44, a pair of safety hooks 47, see FIG. 7, in association with the mouth of each of which hooks is a retaining pin 48 vertically slidable within sleeve 49 secured to the hook, the downward movement of each pin being limited by a cross bar 50 abutting against the upper edge of sleeve 49.

The connecting element 46 is constructed as a cantilever frame of substantially triangular configuration in side elevation, and embodying a pair of horizontal members 51 joined in mutually parallel relation so as to be relatively spaced by a distance corresponding to the transverse width of the shuttering framework 14. One end, namely the outer end of each horizontal member 51, is connected to the upper end of an inclined strut 52 forming part of the connecting element 46, the lower end of each of which struts is joined through bracing to a corresponding horizontal member 51, near the other of the two ends of member 51, namely inner end 53. The latter has secured thereto a fish plate 54 having a connecting hole 55 adapted to be secured by a locking pin 56 to one of the lug plates 16 provided as already described at the upper end of each framework member 15. Thus the connecting element 46 is connected detachably to the adjacent end of the framework 14 at two upper transversely spaced positions corresponding to the ends 53 of the two horizontal members 51.

The lower end 57 of each inclined strut 52 of connecting element 46 carries a thrust bracket 58 of substantially U form in plan with the open side of the bracket directed away from the inclined strut 52, the arrangement being such that each bracket 58 can embrace and have detachable thrust engagement with one of the framework members 15, near the lower end thereof, so as to transmit the compression load thereto adjacent its junction with the aforementioned horizontal tubes 19 forming part of the framework 14.

The two inclined struts 52 forming part of the connecting element 46 are formed with vertical integral extensions 52a provided at their upper ends with fulcrum pins 59, which as shown more particularly in FIGURES 5 and 6 are adapted to engage within the recesses 45 of the one pair of thrust plates 44, provided as above described on the lower end of each lifting element limb 36. Only two of the four pairs of these thrust plates 44 are so engaged at any one time by the strut extensions 52a of the connecting element, the provision of the two further pairs of thrust plates 44 at different spacings along the length of cross member 40 enabling the same lifting element to be utilised with two different widths of connecting element 46 and two different widths of framework 14.

To retain the fulcrum pins 59 within the appropriate thrust plate recesses 45, the two strut extensions 52a near their upper ends are joined by a cross bar 60, which cross bar as shown in FIGURES 1, 3 and 7 is adapted to be engaged detachably with the above referred to safety hook 47 carried on the cross member 40 at the lower end of dependent limb 36, the retaining pins of which safety hooks would be slidden across the mouths of the hooks to retain these in engagement with cross bar 60.

The two horizontal members 51 of the connecting element 46 have secured thereto intermediate their two ends a pair of upstanding lugs 61, the two lugs of each pair being joined by a cross pin 62, each cross pin being engageable with one of the hooks 43 provided on chains 42 at the lower end of the dependent limb 36 as shown more particularly in FIG. 4.

The arrangement is accordingly such that when, as shown in FIGURE 1, the lifting element 24 is connected through its dependent limb 36 to the connecting element 46, and through the latter to the framework 14, the tensile loading within the lifting element is transmitted through the two chains 42 and associated hooks 43, and the compressive loading is transmitted through the engaged two pairs of thrust plates 44, which are in thrust engagement with the upper ends of the strut extensions 52a, so that the compressive loading is transmitted through the latter and inclined struts 52 to the thrust brackets 58 at the lower ends of struts 52, which are in thrust engagement with the lower ends of the adjacent framework members 15. At the same time the tensile loading between the connecting element 46 and the adjacent end of the scaffolding framework 14 is transmitted from cross pins 62 through the members 51 and associated pins 56 to the adjacent connected lug plates 16 provided on the upper ends of the vertical framework members 15.

In operation, in forming a floor or ceiling of a building, the shuttering element would first be assembled on the shuttering element supporting framework 14, to one end of which would be connected through pins 56 the connecting element 46, so as to be positioned on the framework in the manner depicted in FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings.

The lifting element 24 would be supported from the tower crane 31 by engaging the crane hook 30 with the upper horizontal member 26 of lifting arm 25. For this purpose, the member 26 carries in load-transmitting relation therewith, a crane hook-engaging member 63 slidably adjustable along the length of the member 26, the upper part of which member is arranged as later described to be engaged by the crane hook 30'. The arrangement is such that as shown in FIGURES l and 2, by suitably adjusting the member 63 along the length of lifting arm 25 the crane hook 30 can be disposed vertically above the centre of gravity of the combined mass of the lifting element connecting element, shuttering framework, and shuttering element, considering the lifting arm 25 horizontal, so as to maintain the lifting arm 25 and shuttering element 10 in the required horizontal position during the manoeuvring of the shuttering into and out of operative position.

To facilitate the foregoing, the lifting arm 25 of the lifting element is provided with a scale S extending be neath the upper member 26 along the length thereof, the scale indicating the appropriate position of member 63 to provide for the aforementioned disposition of the crane hook relative to the combined centre of gravity of the lifting element and shuttering for relative different sizes and length of framework 14 and shuttering elements thereon.

In order to secure the crane hook-engaging member 63 in the selected one of a number of different positions along the length of the lifting arm 25, the upper member 26 thereof has secured to the upper side thereof through connecting web 26a, and as shown more particularly in FIGURES 8 and 9', a pair of transversely spaced flanges 64, each of which are formed along their lower edges with a number of recesses 65 of somewhat L-shape in configuration, with each recess of one flange being transversely opposite to a recess of the other flange.

The crane hook engaging member 63 comprises a pair of plates 66 connected together at their upper end by a crane hook engaging pin 67, and intermediate their upper and lower ends by a pair of horizontally spaced lockingmember supporting pins 68.

The arrangement is such that the lower portion of the member 63 can straddle the upper member 26 and web 26a thereon, with the lower portion of each plate 66 carrying a securing abutment in the form of a headed securing pin 69, the two pins 69' being transversely aligned with one another and being selectively engageable with any one of the several pairs of recesses 65.

Each of the locking member supporting pins 68 has pivotally mounted thereon, a locking member 70 in the form of an L-shaped lever comprising a shorter locking limb 71 and a longer weight carrying limb 72 supporting a weight 73 at its free end. The two locking members 70 are displaceable about their respective pins 68 between a free position see FIG. 9 in which each longer limb 72 is upstanding, so as to permit of the securing pins 69 of the crane hook engaging member 63 being disengaged from the recesses 65 and member '63 adjusted along arm 25, and a locking position see FIG. 8 in which with the securing pins 69 within the inner ends of the recesses 65, the shorter limb 71 of each locking member is dependent with its free end in locking engagement with the upper side of the web 26a on upper member 26 of lifting arm 25-.

The arrangement is such that in this locking position each shorter limb 71 engages with the upper side of web 26a at a position vertically beneath the centre axis of the associated pin 68 so that each pin 68 is subjected to the minimum of bending moment, while there is no resultant force exerted by the web 26a tending to swing the locking member out of its operative position.

Indeed, if desired, the free end of each limb 71 may move past a dead centre position as it moves into its locking position, and to facilitate the foregoing, the free end of each limb 71 is convexedly curved with its axis of curvature co-incident with its axis of pivoting.

With each locking member 7 0 in its lockingposition, the longer limb 72 thereof extends in a substantially horizontal position, so as gravitationally by weight 73 to retain the locking member in its locking position.

With the lifting element 24 connected as above de scribed to the lifting hook 30 of the tower crane by the crane hook engaging member '63 disposed in the selected position along the length of the lifting arm 25, the centre of gravity of the lifting element alone will not be vertically aligned with the selected position of the member 63, particularly as the centre of gravity of the lifting element is near to the junction between the lifting arm 25 and the dependent limb 36. Thus with the chain hooks 43 of the lifting element 24 disconnected from connecting element 46 as shown in FIGURE 5, the lifting element 24 when now raised by the tower crane 31, will gravitationally assume the inclined disposition depicted in FIGURE 5 with the crane hook engaging pin 67 pivoting within the crane hook 30 to permit of this. Any tendency for the lifting element 24 to slide in a direction along the length of the lifting arm 25 and relative to the crane hook engaging member 63 consequent on this inclined disposition of the lifting element, is precluded by the engagement of securing pins 69 within the recesses 65 as above described.

The lifting element 24 still in the inclined position depicted in FIGURE 5 is now secured to the connecting element 46 on the end of the shuttering framework 14 by lowering the lifting element in a position such that the thrust plate recesses 45 on dependent limb 36 are aligned with the fulcrum pins 59 on the strut extensions 52a so that the pins 59 engage within the thrust plate recesses 45 in the manner shown in FIGURES 5 and 6.

The lifting element is now lowered further, fulcrumming on the pins 59 in so doing into a position. in which the lifting arm 25 moves beyond the horizontal position depicted in FIGURE 2, to enable the hooks 43 on chains 42 to be engaged with the cross bars 62, after which the lifting element 24 is raised again to bring its lifting arm 25 into the horizontal position depicted in FIGURE 2, and the safety hooks 47 engage with the cross bar 60 as already described and shown in FIGURE 7.

The length of the chains 42 is made such that when th hooks 43 are engaged with the cross bars 62, the lifting element 24 is secured relative to the shuttering framework 14 in the positions depicted in FIGURES 1 and 2, i.e., with the thrust plates 44 in engagement with the upper ends of the strut extensions 52a so that the lifting element is now in load-transmitting connection with the shuttering framework in which the tensile loading is transmitted to the framework through the chains 42, the compressive loading being transmitted through the thrust plates 44. i

The use of flexible chains as opposed to rigid members for transmitting the tensile loading, possesses the advantage that the chain hooks 43 can more readily be manoeuvered by the operator into load-transmitting con nection with the cross bars 62, while the flexible chains 42 can, if necessary, momentarily engage with the ad- 9 jacent end of the shuttering panel 11 without damaging this.

With the parts in the position depicted in FIGURE 2 the framework 14 with the shuttering element thereon can now be manoeuvered by the tower crane in the general manner depicted in FIGURE 1 to the appropriate position for forming the fioor or ceiling of the building in course of construction, whereupon the lower members 21 forming part of the adjustable props 20, are adjusted relative to the upper members 15, so as to support the shuttering element 10 at the appropriate height in relation to the ground or previously formed floor F, with the upper side of which the aforementioned base plates 22 will engage.

At the same time, the lifting element 24 is detached from the connecting element 46 by lowering the arm below the horizontal position to slacken the chains 42, and permit of disengagement of the hooks 43, while the safety hooks 47 are at the same time disengaged, thus permitting of the lifting element 24 being raised clear of the connecting element 46 and of the lifting element being thereupon utilised to similarly manoeuver some other similar shuttering element supporting framework on the building site.

When the concrete has been poured and is sufiiciently set, the shuttering element 10 is lowered by suitable adjustment of the lower members 21, of the props 20, so as to lower the framework 14 and shuttering element 10 thereon, after which the lifting element 24 is reengaged with the connecting element 46 in the manner already described, and the tower crane operated to withdraw the framework 14 and shuttering element 10 in a horizontal direction through the at present open side of the building, so as to bring the shuttering element and framework completely clear of the floor or ceiling just formed. The framework 14 and shuttering element 10 thereon is now raised to bring the lower ends of the props 20 above the level of the ceiling or floor just formed, on the upper side of which the framework 14 may now be supported by a further manoeuver of the lifting element 24 from the tower crane, so as to permit of the next floor or ceiling thereabove being formed as above described.

The above described series of operations would be repeated until all of the floors or ceilings on the multistage building have been completed.

What I claim then is:

1. Means for transporting from a tower crane a framework supporting a concrete floor forming shuttering in multistorey building construction, said transporting means comprising the combination of:

(a) a lifting arm having a load transmitting portion at one end thereof,

(b) a connecting portion mountable on said framework at one end thereof,

(c) one of said two portions embodying a fulcrum pin and the other of said two portions having an open sided bearing sleeve with the open side directed towards said fulcrum pin for detachable fulcruming engagement therewith between positions in which said lifting arm is inclined to the horizontal and is horizontal,

(d) a load transmitting tension member on one of said two portions detachably connecting said two portions in load transmitting relationship in which said bearing sleeve engages said fulcrum pin with the lifting arm horizontal,

(e) a crane hook engaging member slidable along the length of said lifting arm, and

(f) means retaining said crane hook engaging member in any one of a number of selected different positions along the length of said lifting arm.

2. Means for transportin from a tower crane a framework supporting a concrete floor forming shuttering in multistorey building construction, said transporting means comprising the combination of:

(a) a lifting arm having a load transmitting portion at one end thereof extending transversely to the length of the arm so as to depend therefrom when the lifting arm is horizontal,

(b) a connecting portion mountable on said framework at one end thereof,

(0) said load transmitting portion at the side thereof nearest the adjacent end of the lifting arm having connected thereto an open sided bearing sleeve with the open side directed downwardly considering the lifting arm horizontal,

(d) said connecting portion at the side thereof furthest from the framework having a fulcrum pin engageable by said open sided sleeve for detachable fulcruming engagement therewith between positions in which said lifting arm is inclined to the horizontal and is horizontal,

(e) said load transmitting portion at the side thereof opposite to said open sided sleeve having a flexible load transmitting tension element depending therefrom and provided at its lower free end with a hook detachably engageable with said connecting portion at the side thereof nearest the said framework to transmit lifting load to said connecting portion with said bearing sleeve engaging said fulcrum pin wilh the lifting arm horizntal,

(f) a crane hook engaging member slidable along the length of said lifting arm, and

(g) means retaining said crane hook engaging memher in any one of a number of selected different positions along the length of said lifting arm.

3. Means for transporting from a tower crane a framework supporting a concrete floor forming shuttering in multistorey building construction, said transporting means comprising the combination of:

(a) a lifting arm having a load transmitting portion at one end thereof,

(b) a connecting portion mountable on said framework at one end thereof,

(c) one of said two portions embodying a fulcrum pin and the other of said two portions having an open sided bearing sleeve with the open side directed towards said fulcrum pin for detachable fulcruming engagement therewith between positions in which said lifting arm is inclined to the horizontal and is horizontal,

(d) a load transmitting tension member on one of said two portions detachably connecting said two portions in load transmitting relationship in which said bearing sleeve engages said fulcrum pin with the lifting arm horizontal,

(e) said lifting arm having an adjusting member extending in a direction along the length of the arm, said member having at its under side a plurality of recesses spaced apart along the length of the lifting arm,

(f) a crane hook engaging member slidable along the length of said lifting arm,

(g) a securing abutment on said crane hook engaging member,

(h) means mounting the latter for vertical displacement relative to said recessed member between a lower adjusting position and a raised position in which the securing abutment of said crane hook engaging member is disposed within a selected one of the several recesses, and

(i) means releasably retaining said crane hook engaging member in its raised position.

4. Means for supporting shuttering according to claim 3 wherein the securing abutment comprises a pin, and the crane hook engaging member is provided on each of two opposite sides thereof with a locking member displaceable relative to the crane hook engaging member between a free position and a locking position in which the two locking members engage with the upper 11 side of a part on the lifting arm at positions on opposite sides of a vertical plane passing through the securing pin considering the lifting arm horizontal.

5. Means for supporting shuttering according to claim 4 wherein each locking member is constructed in the form of an L-shaped lever which at the junction between the two limbs is pivoted about a horizontal axis to the crane hook engaging member, the shorter limb being adapted to assume an operative dependent position in which its extremity engages with an upwardly 10 directed face on the lifting arm which with the latter horizontal is disposed at a position vertically beneath the lever pivot, the longer limb of each L-shaped locking member lever being weighted to retain the locking member in its locking position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ALFRED C. PERHAM, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

25l3l.5; 52l27, 646; 21217; 249l3; 29467 

